James Buchanan April 23, 1791 Cove Gap, Pennsylvania – June 1, 1868 Lancaster, Pennsylvania Political Party: Democrat Term in Office: March 4, 1857 – March 4, 1861 (One Term) Vice President: John C. Breckinridge
Thematic Context
While the industry and innovation growing in the North, so had the diversity of the American people due to the thousands of new job openings. Industrial expansion attracted immigrants from Western Europe to find prospective jobs in America; by 1860, Irish immigrants had largely replaced the New England mill girls as textile workers. However, this isn’t to say working in factories was easy, rather many were forced to work late hours.
The rate for immigration was steady. The 1850 census found that the American population included 9.7% foreign-born individuals.
Thesis
James Buchanan is arguably one of the worst presidents ever to be elected in America, if not the worst president. He witnessed the dissolution of the Union and yet did nothing to prevent or delay further issues. He believed too heavily in the legal system and Constitution, actively waiting for the law to take its due course. Mediocre at best, Buchanan was a puppet for the Democratic South; the reason why he was chosen as the Democratic nominee was because he was thought the be relatively enemyless, so from the beginning he was playing into the party’s hands. Buchanan stood by and watched from a distance how his nation under his watch dissolved into a battling nation, waiting to see the results. For his feeble and actionless presidency, Buchanan deserves an F+ for his grade.
Goals
As a man who trusts the Constitution as much as he trusts the Bible, the Constitution came up numerous times throughout his Inaugural Address. He also made it clear that popular sovereignty should decided whether or not slavery should be legal within that state’s border. One thing he did promise and act upon was that he would not run for a second term.
Congress
Buchanan’s relationship with Congress was strained; they didn’t always meet eye to eye. For example, in 1858 Buchanan vetoed six substantial pieces of Republican legislation, creating tension between the President and Congress. In 1861 when Buchanan requested from Congress to allow the president to have emergency military powers, Congress immediately shot him down and rejected his request.
Positive Decision
Perhaps it is what Buchanan did not do that because the most positive decision he made. During his “lame duck” interlude, the days before Abe Lincoln would take over as President, Buchanan did nothing to stop the South from seceding from the Union. Although he should have done something to prevent quarrels between the North and the South, if he did do something, most likely the Civil War would have broken out earlier than when it actually did in history. It was probably for the best that Lincoln would be president when the time came for the Civil War.
Negative Decision
One of Buchanan’s negative decisions was how he handled the financial crash of 1857, a hard financial time for America. In 1860, Congress passed the homestead act which would make public land super cheap for purchase, helping the Northern farmers. When Buchanan received it, he vetoed it immediately because he favored the South and thought that more land for the North would upset the political balance between the two sides.
Influence for the Future
Buchanan’s actions have greatly affected the future. Lincoln’s job was not an easy task, faced with the impending war between the North and the South, something that could have been softened by Buchanan.
Conclusion
America would have been better off if Buchanan was never a president. He was unfair towards his people, uneducated on how to properly take care of a nation, and unable to resolve a rising conflict within the nation. He was unfit for the position and deserves an F+ for his weak presidency.
April 23, 1791 Cove Gap, Pennsylvania – June 1, 1868 Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Political Party: Democrat
Term in Office: March 4, 1857 – March 4, 1861 (One Term)
Vice President: John C. Breckinridge
Thematic Context
While the industry and innovation growing in the North, so had the diversity of the American people due to the thousands of new job openings. Industrial expansion attracted immigrants from Western Europe to find prospective jobs in America; by 1860, Irish immigrants had largely replaced the New England mill girls as textile workers. However, this isn’t to say working in factories was easy, rather many were forced to work late hours.
The rate for immigration was steady. The 1850 census found that the American population included 9.7% foreign-born individuals.
Thesis
James Buchanan is arguably one of the worst presidents ever to be elected in America, if not the worst president. He witnessed the dissolution of the Union and yet did nothing to prevent or delay further issues. He believed too heavily in the legal system and Constitution, actively waiting for the law to take its due course. Mediocre at best, Buchanan was a puppet for the Democratic South; the reason why he was chosen as the Democratic nominee was because he was thought the be relatively enemyless, so from the beginning he was playing into the party’s hands. Buchanan stood by and watched from a distance how his nation under his watch dissolved into a battling nation, waiting to see the results. For his feeble and actionless presidency, Buchanan deserves an F+ for his grade.
Goals
As a man who trusts the Constitution as much as he trusts the Bible, the Constitution came up numerous times throughout his Inaugural Address. He also made it clear that popular sovereignty should decided whether or not slavery should be legal within that state’s border. One thing he did promise and act upon was that he would not run for a second term.
Congress
Buchanan’s relationship with Congress was strained; they didn’t always meet eye to eye. For example, in 1858 Buchanan vetoed six substantial pieces of Republican legislation, creating tension between the President and Congress. In 1861 when Buchanan requested from Congress to allow the president to have emergency military powers, Congress immediately shot him down and rejected his request.
Positive Decision
Perhaps it is what Buchanan did not do that because the most positive decision he made. During his “lame duck” interlude, the days before Abe Lincoln would take over as President, Buchanan did nothing to stop the South from seceding from the Union. Although he should have done something to prevent quarrels between the North and the South, if he did do something, most likely the Civil War would have broken out earlier than when it actually did in history. It was probably for the best that Lincoln would be president when the time came for the Civil War.
Negative Decision
One of Buchanan’s negative decisions was how he handled the financial crash of 1857, a hard financial time for America. In 1860, Congress passed the homestead act which would make public land super cheap for purchase, helping the Northern farmers. When Buchanan received it, he vetoed it immediately because he favored the South and thought that more land for the North would upset the political balance between the two sides.
Influence for the Future
Buchanan’s actions have greatly affected the future. Lincoln’s job was not an easy task, faced with the impending war between the North and the South, something that could have been softened by Buchanan.
Conclusion
America would have been better off if Buchanan was never a president. He was unfair towards his people, uneducated on how to properly take care of a nation, and unable to resolve a rising conflict within the nation. He was unfit for the position and deserves an F+ for his weak presidency.
Bibliography
James Buchanan: "Inaugural Address," March 4, 1857. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. <http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=25817>.
"James Buchanan." PBS. PBS, 2010. Web. 23 Oct. 2012. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/biography/presidents-buchanan/>.
"James Buchanan." The White House. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2012. <http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/jamesbuchanan>.
"James Buchanan." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 22 Oct. 2012. Web. 23 Oct. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Buchanan>.